Samira Makhmalbaf’s 2000 film *Blackboards* marked her second directorial effort; she is the daughter of filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf and demonstrates considerable talent herself. The story begins with a group of traveling teachers carrying blackboards into the mountainous terrain of Iranian Kurdistan, hoping to provide education and earn a small amount of money in this impoverished area where many are unable to read or write. The narrative soon focuses on two of these instructors. Saïd (played by Saïd Mohamadi) joins forces with nomads attempting to return to their homeland across the border in Iraqi Kurdistan. Rebwar (Bahman Ghobadi) encounters a group of children involved in smuggling goods over that same boundary. The teachers' attempts to teach reading and writing are repeatedly unsuccessful, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of plays by Samuel Beckett or Harold Pinter. Saïd’s efforts to connect with the only woman among his companions (Behnaz Jafari) embody a sense of the ridiculous. Makhmalbaf’s visual style draws parallels to her father's earlier work, showcasing both the beauty and the harshness of this mountainous region and its contribution to the area’s poverty. It is also noteworthy that the film features dialogue in Kurdish, which provides an opportunity to experience a culture not often seen in Western cinema. However, I did find some aspects less than impressive. *Blackboards* raises an interesting idea about how people struggling for survival have little time or energy for things like education, but the story itself feels somewhat disjointed. The performances are uneven as well; there’s a noticeable difference between the trained actors and the local Kurds who participated. It could be worth giving *Blackboards* a look. I'm glad I saw it—it sticks with you, and there are moments of genuine humor—but ultimately, I didn’t find it entirely fulfilling.

Source on TMDB